Sheer Frost
by Amber McCurtis
Summary: A powerful witch-queen kidnaps Prince Sonic and imprisons him within her wintry world. Her servants abuse him and his horrid living conditions threaten to break his once eternally optimistic spirit. But this place may not be devoid of all warmth...
1. 0

_0_

It was a beautiful night, the clear sky proudly displaying its bright, crescent moon and dazzling stars. Though the day had been hot and humid, the air was now cool and a pleasant breeze blew throughout the Ruby Emerald Kingdom. A deep quietness had settled over the land as majority of the kingdom's citizens retired to their homes for some well deserved rest after a hard day of work. However, there was one place still brimming with liveliness, a place where not a single tired eye could be found. And that place was the royal palace.

A grand celebration was underway and hundreds of young nobles had gathered to partake in the joyous occasion. They filled the lavish throne room, their loud chatter carrying far beyond the four walls enclosing them. Prince Sonic was able to hear them from his bedroom and their excitement made him grin with pride. The nation's youth held a great deal of respect for him due to his wild parties, and they probably expected this one to be his best yet. He had no intentions of disappointing them.

The cobalt hedgehog took a final look at himself in his full-bodied mirror. His white shirt, woven from the finest silk, fit loosely on him. Its high, golden collar covered all of his neck but for the front, which he left unbuttoned so that the low neckline could expose a bit of his chest. The bottom of the shirt had a gold trimming, the long sleeves ended in golden cuffs, and even the top of Sonic's white boots were trimmed with gold. His entire outfit was completed by the circlet situated just behind his ears, the headdress featuring a glimmering red ruby perched within the center of an elaborate array of golden coils. If perfection ever had a physical form, Sonic was doubtlessly seeing it right now.

"Well, your highness, we must be off." he smirked and gave a bow to his reflection. "Your subjects have been waiting long enough."

But as he turned away from the mirror and started for the door, a sudden chill snaked up his spine. Startled, his muscles tensed and he quickly looked over his shoulder, part of him fearing someone was behind him. Much to his relief though, all he saw was the ivory curtains of the balcony swaying in the wind.

"Of course." he breathed, rolling his emerald green eyes. "Way to overact, pal."

Smiling wryly at himself, Sonic walked forward and pushed the curtains aside. For a moment he paused, giving the balcony a thorough inspection. When he saw nothing unusual, he shrugged and made to close the glass doors. But then...the chill returned. This time it progressed slowly up his back, feeling akin to a pair of fingers imitating the motion of walking on his skin, each step sending shivers racing through him. His movements ceased. His pulse quickened. The wind was definitely not the culprit behind the eerie atmosphere which had fallen upon the room.

_"Please leave it open. It's such a lovely night out, after all."_

Sonic's breath hitched. The voice was soft, girlish...and one he recognized immediately.

_"That's right, love, I've come back. Did you think I was gone for good? Did you wish it? Tsk tsk, that really...burns." _she chuckled.

Words rushed to his head, but try as he might, his lips refused to utter them. Every muscle in his body was frozen stiff.

_"Don't even bother. I didn't come here to listen to any more of your lies." _her whispered voice spat. _"How you love to talk, my dear, always saying such pleasing things. Such...heartwarming sentiments. Did you ever mean them? Was there ever a time in which you actually intended to uphold your promise to me?"_

He heard her sigh and felt her body press against his. She pulled his collar down, her icy breath prickling his nape, her soft lips brushing across his flesh. His body grew unbearably cold, to the point where his nerves cried out to him in absolute agony. The world before him began to blur.

_"Sonic...I intend to see you through on your promise...or watch you die trying..."_

Her airy laughter was the last thing Sonic heard before he lost consciousness.


	2. 1

_Please tell me you'll fight this fight_

_I can't see without your light_

_I need you to breathe into my life_

_..._

_Don't tell me this is goodbye_

_I won't grieve; it's not yet time_

_Each breath breathed is keeping hope alive..._

_..._

_..._

_1_

Sonic awoke to find himself lying on a hard and lumpy mattress inside a dark and cold room. Frowning, he sat up and examined the place, unsure of his whereabouts. From the grey, stone walls to the barred window decorated with frost, nothing looked familiar to him. At any rate, this certainly wasn't his bedroom.

"Alright..." he spoke slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Either I'm having a really weird dream or somehow I ended up in the castle dungeons during the party, which I also seem to strangely have no recollection of..."

"Unfortunately, neither of your theories are correct." a deep voice interjected.

Fur bristling, Sonic whipped his head to the side just as a tall figure emerged from the shadows and stepped beneath the dim glow of the lantern hanging overhead. He was a black and red furred hedgehog who's vibrant crimson eyes bore an unsettling resemblance to the color of blood. His clothing consisted of a black tunic, a black leather belt fastened around his waist, and black leather shoes. Mystified by the stranger's sudden appearance, the cobalt hedgehog stared speechless at the older male. He had never seen anyone quite like him before.

"You're in the tower of the Crystal Emerald Kingdom's castle." said the stranger, his expression showing no emotion.

Sonic furrowed his brow. "The Crystal Emerald Kingdom?"

"Yes, though you most likely know it better as the White Wastelands. I am Shadow, loyal steward of Her Majesty, Sheer Frost, the queen of this domain. But I imagine you are already familiar with her."

"Yeah, I guess. She's supposed to be some kind of fairytale ice witch or something, right?" asked Sonic, still feeling a bit dazed.

"I assure you she is no fairytale. Her Majesty is very much alive."

Sonic, his blank gaze fixed on Shadow, was silent for a moment. Everything that had been spoken whirled about in his foggy mind and he needed the quiet to clear his head and sort through Shadow's words. But at last a smile spread across his muzzle and he visibly relaxed.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" he said. "Yeah, that has to be it. Or else I've been kidnapped by a deranged psycho who believes he's in a fairytale. I think I'll stick with my first conclusion, though."

Surprisingly, Shadow chuckled and smirked ever so slightly.

"You truly have no recollection of Her Majesty." he confirmed aloud to himself. "Sad, but I suppose it has little consequence just as it doesn't matter whether or not you believe this to be real. You need only come to grips with the position you're in."

"Well, I currently think my position is sitting on top a bed that happens to be the most uncomfortable piece of furniture my rear end has ever had the displeasure of meeting. Seriously, I think it's bruising me. What do you have in here? Rocks?" Sonic inquired, his light bouncing causing the supporting structure under the mattress to squeak.

Shadow's smirk disappeared and he narrowed his eyes. "This realm belongs to Her Majesty and she has given me authority over every living creature within this castle. Therefore, you are now under my rule."

"Uh-huh..." Sonic responded absentmindedly. "Do you see how filthy this sheet is? When was the last time you washed this thing? It's probably crawling with bedbugs..."

Without warning a hand shot forth and clamped Sonic's throat, the force of the contact knocking him on his back. He released a startled gasp, but before he could further protest, he found himself transfixed upon a pair of gleaming ruby orbs. Lights flashed within them, bright and burning sparks cast out of an angry red sea of flames. Sonic felt the heat of that sea, felt the flames lick his face as he was pulled into the inferno. He mentally braced himself for the oncoming burn, yet instead a gentle warmth simply washed over him. Reds, yellows, and oranges streamed past his vision, hypnotizing him for a few brief seconds before the fire vanished and the world turned black. And here is where the pain began.

The air surrounding Sonic's skin grew so frigid it felt like needles were stabbing him. His blood froze stiff. Piercing ice crystals coated his bones. The freezing burn of the cold was merciless in its assault, coursing up his veins and striking every part of his body. It was far too much to bear. But though his mouth hung agape, he couldn't scream. His voice had been muted. His muscles had been paralyzed. He was utterly helpless.

_"Hurts doesn't it?" _Shadow's mocking voice echoed through his mind. _"Like an icy hell, wouldn't you say?"_

_'St...Stop...' _Sonic weakly ordered.

_"No, because you're still not getting the picture. I'm the one in charge here. I'm the one who decides if you live a dream or a nightmare. Understand? You're in my world and here I make the rules. I am the one who gives the orders and you...well, you best follow them without complaint if you know what's good for you. I'm not a very patient person and punks like you ruffle me more than anything. But if you promise to behave yourself, I'll promise not to send you to an icy grave where you'll spend all of eternity screaming for mercy. Deal?"_

Already at his breaking point, Sonic wasted no time answering his tormentor. _'D-D-Deal!'_

Shadow gave a sinister chuckle. _"Good. Now what's the magic word?"_

_'Shadow!' _cried the blue hedgehog incredulously.

_"I'm sorry, but that answer is incorrect. You have one more try."_

The intensity of the cold increased and Sonic struggled desperately for the strength to say the single word which could relieve his suffering.

_'P...P...Please!'_

Instantly, a blinding light dispersed the darkness. The cold was reduced to a mere unpleasant chill and the room became visible again. Sonic was still lying on his back, but his heart now hammered away at his chest, his breathing was shallow and rapid, and his bulging eyes were filled with terror. The cold...it hadn't been an illusion. He hadn't been dreaming. Every moment, every stab of torturous pain had been real. He wished he could deny it, but at this point it was futile. The truth was staring him in the face. This wasn't a dream.

Releasing the teenager's neck, Shadow stood erect, his expression coolly impassive once more. It was a shame he had to use such a method to gain respect, but some people only learned the hard way.

"Sonic, Prince of the Ruby Emerald Kingdom...welcome to your new home..."

...

Forgive me for the long wait. This story was a spontaneous idea, but when I decided to really make a go of it, I ended up changing the plot several times until it was more to my liking. I also rewrote the prologue, so you might want to read it again to reduce future confusion.

But anyway, thank you everyone for your feedback! If you're still interested in this I urge you to review and let me hear your thoughts. I would greatly appreciate that.


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